* LEAD DROPS: ShFE lead was also a big loser,
falling 2.3 percent. LME lead was down 1 percent,
distancing the contract further from six-month highs hit
earlier in the week.

* TRUMP: U.S. President Donald Trump ratcheted up his
rhetoric against North Korea and its leader on Thursday, warning
Pyongyang against attacking Guam or U.S. allies after it
disclosed plans to fire missiles over Japan to land near the
U.S. Pacific territory.
* GOLD UP: Gold prices held steady after touching their
highest in over two months on Friday and were on track for a
weekly gain, buoyed as rising tensions between the United States
and North Korea triggered safe-haven buying.

* LOW RISK: Stock funds in the United States posted $2.8
billion in withdrawals during the seven days through Aug. 9,
marking the largest outflows in five weeks. Nearly $31 billion
moved into relatively low-risk money market funds, the strongest
figure since 2013. About $4 billion moved into taxable and
municipal bonds, according to the research service.

* ELECTRIC CARS: Mining group Glencore raised
earnings guidance for its trading business, citing higher
commodity prices, and said on Thursday increased take-up of
electric vehicles and demand for energy storage would boost
demand for its products.

* ALUMINIUM SUPPLIES: Worries about supplies from top
producer China have been reinforced by Shandong province, which
this week ordered the closure of 3.21 million tonnes of
aluminium capacity.

* ENVIRONMENT: The shutdowns come as China's Ministry of
Environmental Protection (MEP) said it was embarking on its
fourth round of environmental inspections across eight provinces
and regions, including Shandong.